Characterisation of Pythium capillosum - A new pathogen of Xiphinema pachtaicum (Nematoda: Longidoridae)

Isolation on culture media followed with macroscopic, microscopic, molecular and phylogenetic analyses and pathogenicity tests allowed us to identify Pythium capillosum to be capable of destroying dagger nematode through endozoic parasitism from ingested oomycete zoospores. Although endoparasitism of free-living nematodes is found to be common among oomycetes in nature, this is the first finding of such occurrence in Bosnia and Herzegovina soils. The obtained results could open the door to future studies for controlling nematodes in an environmentally safe and sustainable way.